Sketchpad
by ChalcedonyRose
Summary: An interesting little idea I came up with while playing on HogwartsMOO. The prologue and first 3 chaps are up right now, more HPish now, but I'm still waiting to see what you all think before I add more. So let me know, k?
1. Prologue: Open your eyes

A/N: Ok, first of all this is my first "Harry Potter" fic, so go easy on me. I'm probably not as up to speed on lot's of HP terms like most of you who may read this, but I do promise you I have actually read the books. Anyway, this fic is a little bit from most HP fics as it does not actually contain any of your favorite and much loved HP characters. Yes, I'm quite sorry, but this story happens to be about some characters I myself invented as I was afraid were I to use the actual characters they would be so incredibly unlike themselves that the whole story would be terrible and I'd get a plethora of flames for it. So be a bit open minded about this story and feel free to let me know what you think? Hate it? Great, tell me why. Love it, also great and tell me, as I am human and do enjoy occasional praise. So just need to say that any people or places from the Harry Potter series that appear in this piece are not owned by me, but most characters, such as the Rose family, are. 

**Prologue: **Open your eyes

The whole Rose family had gone camping out at this beautiful nature preserve. They had gone on a hike, the mother, Amelia, carrying the infant Danny in the front, the father, Jason, lecturing his sons Alex, Jake and Nick about all the plants and vegetation, leaving the little daughter Talynn all alone, trying to keep up at the rear. She had seen a deer to one side of the path and her curious nature caused her to leave the path to follow it.

 About a half an hour later, a big storm had risen up. Rain started falling in thick heavy drops and thunder and lightning split through the sky. The family saw this and hurriedly headed back to camp, but as they got near the camp, Alex noticed Talynn was missing. He tried to call out to his parents, but they were too preoccupied with getting to shelter to care about Talynn. Alex had been noticing more and more lately how selfish and uncaring the pair was. Especially to his little sister. It was one of the main reasons why he had started to become so rebellious and wild. He hated his parents and didn't want to be like them at all. So, standing in the rain, Alex decided to go find Talynn. He knew she must be scared and lonely. Turning away from the group he ran off back along the path to look for her.

Talynn had sat all alone by a huge oak tree, scared to death and bawling for her parents. The thunder and lightning crashed above her head, as if screaming at her like her parents always did. Disappointed in her for having such a wandering mind, yelling at her and punishing her. Saying, "You deserve this because you're such a terrible daughter." She knew all this at such a young age and couldn't understand. No matter what she did it was never good enough for them. She sobbed and tried to apologize to the storm, her little 4 year old voice crying out "I'm sorry Mommy! I'm sorry Daddy! I'll be good, just don't leave me here!"

Alex had heard the faint scream of his sisters voice off in the depths of the forest and he went running off the path into the brush. Pushing away sharp, wet branches and wading through slick, wet mud while rain constantly pounded down on him Alex made his way towards the faint crying of his distressed little sister. Finally he came to somewhat of a clearing and saw his four year old sister standing in the middle, screaming up at the sky about how she was sorry that she was such a bad daughter, that she would be better and try her best to make her parents proud of her. He was glad for the rain for it hid the hot tears that suddenly sprung from his eyes. It was in that one moment that he aged about 5 years and realized how truly despicable his parents were. He ran to his little sister and scooped her up in his arms.

"Alex!" she had cried, in relief, throwing her arms around his neck and holding on tight. Alex had held the small frame of his only sister, anger at his parents burning within him. They probably didn't even realize that Talynn was gone. As he hurriedly made his way back to the path to the tent, he fumed, pondering what he should say to them. 

"You're my hero," little Talynn had whispered into his ear and hugged his shoulders. He softly rubbed her back, knowing what he had to do. As they approached the tent he set Talynn on the ground and looked into her little blue eyes, almost exactly like his own.

"Talynn," he said, "No matter what I say and do later on in your life, I want you to always remember I love you. Ok? Can you remember that?" Talynn, rather confused had stared at him wide-eyed before nodding. He stood up and took her hand in his and walked into the tent. There, his parents and three brothers all sat huddled together, reading a book. His mother looked up.

"Oh! Alex you're back! We were worried about you!" She said, then looked at Talynn, horrified. "TALYNN! What have you DONE to yourself?" She moved to grab Talynn's arm harshly, but Alex stepped in the way. He stared coldly into his mothers eyes. She was quite taken aback. "Alex..?" she began.

"Shut up," He ordered icily. His father made ready to protest, but one sharp look from his 10 year old son, told him not to speak. "You are cruel and horrible parents," spat Alex. "You went on a hike, leaving your 4 YEAR OLD daughter unsupervised at the rear, trying to keep up. Then it starts raining and you all run back, not realizing that she is MISSING. Then, when I say we should go look for her, you pretend to not hear me and run off to shelter in the tent. I go running off and find my little sister, alone in the middle of a storm crying to GOD about how she is sorry and won't disappoint you again, if you would just take her back and let her live," He paused, letting that one sink in.

Amelia looked at her little daughter for confirmation, praying her son was lying. Hiding behind Alex's legs, Talynn stared at her with big, sad eyes. "I'm sorry Mommy. Please don't be mad at me," She murmured. Amelia was crushed. Cold, harsh realization set in on her that day. Memories of all the unfair things she done to Talynn, all the times she'd ignored her, the times she'd told her how she wasn't good enough. Tears started streaming from Amelia's eyes and she knew she was a horrible mother. More horrible than most. Her ten year old son had had to yell at her to make her realize it. Her precious daughter had almost died tonight because she was so terrible. All Amelia wanted at that moment was to curl up and die. 

How would Talynn ever forgive her? She wondered, yet, here was her daughter, afraid of her and asking her for forgiveness. Amelia slumped over on her husbands shoulders. She could see in his eyes, he'd come to the same realizations too.


	2. Time to let go

7 years later….

            Talynn Rose paced anxiously around her room the morning she was to finally leave home and spend her first year at Hogwarts. Her Grandmother Elaine sat on the small bed in the elegantly furnished room, watching her in amusement. After that terrible day on the campsite, Talynn's parents had arranged for her to move in with Amelia's mother in England, feeling that the wrong they had done the girl could not be righted. Elaine had listened patiently to her daughter's pleading, shocked at the recollections of how her dear granddaughter had been treated. She had immediately agreed to take in the young girl. Ever since Talynn had lived with her grandmother in the huge mansion on the English countryside. 

Every school year she had gone off to board at Mrs. Whitters' School for Young Women, where most of the highbred magic girls of England went. There she learned French, sewing, etiquette, dancing (ballroom and a little ballet, as her grandmother used to dance ballet) and some horseback riding as well as all the traditional subjects like math and science. Talynn's very first day at MWS, as they often called it, she had become fast friends with several of the other students, Mary Harris, Gabrielle DuPont and Alyssa Southerby. It had not been long before the four became insepearable.

Even with all the friends she had, and the company of her loving Grandmother, Talynn often missed her family back in America. She always kept two small framed photos beside her bed; one of her whole family and one of just her and Alex whom she missed the most. She often wondered what ever had happened to him, having not seen him since the day her parents had sent her off to England. Unbeknownst to her, she would see him a lot sooner than she'd have ever thought.

Talynn sat down on the neatly made white lace bed beside her Grandmother. She looked up into the kindly old eyes and smiled. "Grandmother," she said, "I love you so much," and she tentatively leaned forward to hug the woman. A warm rush of happiness coursed through Elaine and she wised that she could keep this moment forever, yet she knew that in just one short hour she would have to let her precious darling go off to Hogwarts where she would begin to turn into a young woman and start pulling away from Elaine. To her, Talynn had been the daughter she'd always wanted. It was if she had finally gotten it right the second try. Her own daughter, Amelia, had been a spoiled girl, headstrong, always trying to get away. Elaine had always felt that she was to blame for the mistreatment Talynn had been done. Were she a better parent to Amelia, maybe Talynn's mother would have loved her as much as Elaine herself did.

Gently shaking away the memory and releasing little Talynn, Elaine smiled mischievously. Talynn looked at her curiously, with her big dark blue eyes. "What is it Grandmother?" She asked. Elaine smiled down at her and then looked towards the door. The maid, Annette, came in carrying a small pink frilled pillow. A small brown and black puff of fur sat in the middle of it. Talynn cocked her head curiously to one side, looking at it. As Annette approached Talynn realized what it was.

"A kitten!" She exclaimed, excitedly. She threw her arms around Elaine once more. ,"Oh Grandmother you're the best!" Then she jumped off the bed and ran over to Annette to look at her new pet. The kitten stretched on the pillow and yawned, lazily looking up at Talynn with it's tiny green eyes. Talynn ran one finger along the pillow and the kitten smacked at it playfully with it's paw.

Talynn looked at Elaine. "Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked. 

"A boy," replied Elaine softly, enjoying her granddaughter's delight. Talynn nodded her head and looked at the kitten a moment. Elaine laughed to herself at how deeply the child concentrated, thinking of a name for her new pet.

"Chip," she finally said. 

"Chip?" asked Elaine, rather surprised. She'd thought of naming the kitten something more like Francis, or Michaelangelo, but her granddaughter was nodding seriously.

"Yes," she said, "Because he reminds me somewhat of a chocolate chip cookie," she explained, running one of her slender fingers along the kittens head, finally coming to scratch under his chin. The kitten lifted it's head and gave a happy mew. Talynn grinned happily and looked over at her grandmother. Annette took the kitten and put him inside his comfy little carrying case, just as Elaine's chauffer, Maxwell, came to announce that it was time to go.

"So soon?" Elaine asked. The driver only nodded. She sighed and hugged her granddaughter once more. "Now Talynn you be good sweetheart and I'll see you at break, alright?" The little girl smiled bravely and then followed the driver out of the room. Elaine went out onto the balcony to watch as the car was loaded with all Talynn's things. Talynn only looked up at Elaine once, right before she got into the car. From where she sat she could not see the tears in her grandmother's eyes.


	3. Finding the Fab Four

As he stood on the platform to get onto the Hogwarts Express, 17 year old Alex Rose reflected on his previous years there. He remember the day his letter had come in the mail. He'd been so shocked, having received a letter from the English school, whilst he lived in the United States. His father had later explained to him that he and Alex's mother were alumni and had pulled some strings so that their children could attend. One of the first thoughts that had entered his head when he's reached England was "I should find Talynn" but his Father had left them no time for visits. Alex was still angry with his parents for sending his sister off, but he was even angrier at how they had practically forgotten the girl. 

Whenever his parents had spoken to people, they would say how they had 5 sons. All the pictures of her had been removed from the house, except for one. This, Alex had kept beneath his bed, taking it out to look at every so often and praying his sister was doing well.

He had been incredibly shocked his first day at Hogwarts. It's sheer grandeur blew him away, but the greatest surprise of all that day was when the sorting hat placed him into Gryffindor house. Both of his parents had been in Slytherin, and he'd thought that his rebellious personality would place him there as well, but he accepted the hat's decision happily, glad he was in fact not as much like his parents as he'd thought.

Now in his seventh year, his final year, Alex rather wished it wouldn't end. His years at Hogwarts had been his happiest. He'd made many friends and he'd spent all the time away from his parents. Alex watched all the students getting onto the train, seeing some friends, some enemies. He watched amusedly at several first years stumbling about utterly confused. One first year, just coming through onto the platform caught his eye.

She was walking in with her chauffer apparently. She wore a little blue Girls' School Uniform and her driver carried her luggage, her robes draped across his arms. She carried a small carrying case for an animal of some sort in her left hand. The odd thing about this girl was the way she carried herself. Alex could plainly see she was a dancer, from the extreme poise she carried herself with. He noticed some other first year girls looking at her enviously and whispering.

The girl looked around at everything curiously, taking it all in. She looked up at her driver and asked him something which Alex could not hear. The driver replied and the girl nodded softly, looking once more around. Scanning all the faces for something. To his surprise, Alex found himself straightening as her gaze came closer to him. For a brief second their eyes met and he felt something strange run through him, but a moment later she was looking away again.

Alex pondered the girls deep blue eyes for a moment. They seemed so familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. The girl finally sighted the people she was looking for and tossed her long dark brown hair playfully, heading over to three other first year girls. One girl had long pale blonde hair and deep green eyes. She stood taller than the rest and next to the one Alex was watching. He noticed that these two were a bit closer to one another. The other two girls, one with smooth, shoulder-length chestnut brown hair and deep brown eyes, the other with wavy golden blonde hair and light blue eyes, seemed to be good friends as well.

"The fab four! I didn't know they were ALL going here!" Alex overheard one little girl whisper. He glanced over at the slightly chubby red-head and her lanky, awkward friend.

"They're all so lucky. I wish I was like them. Bet you Talynn becomes a Prefect when she's older. She's so smart. So classy too. It's no wonder she's the leader of the fab four," replied the lanky one, enviously looking upon the group. Alex's jaw fell open, and he stared back at the 4 girls. The dark hair, the deep blue eyes, the thin delicate frame, yes it all fit. It was his little sister! Alex turned to the two girls he'd overheard. He tapped the redhead on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," he asked. The girl looked up at him and started to blush madly, apparently finding him cute. 

"Um… y-yes?" she stuttered.

"That girl, I overheard you talking about. Her last name wouldn't happen to be Rose would it?" The girls eyes fell.

"Oh," she said, looking over at the four girls who were all now chatting amicably, "Yes, that's Talynn Rose. She went to my Prep School… she's only a first year, you know,"

Alex nodded. "I know. She's my sister," he answered. The girls face lit up again. He smiled down at her. "Thanks so much for your help. Maybe I'll see you around," and he looked around for his brothers, to gather them before he approached his little sister for the first time in years.

By the time he had finally gathered his disbelieving 4 brothers, the four girls were gone. The platform had begun to empty and the train conductor made the final call. Not yet defeated, Alex dragged his brothers onto the train and they began looking through the compartments for the girls.


	4. Face to Face

Talynn laughed happily as she sat with her 3 best friends in the small train compartment. Alyssa and Mary sat across from her and Gabrielle. They were all drinking some bottled water and having fun chatting about all the strange people they'd seen.

"But, hey, Talynn. I heard from that little chunky redhead, Mariss, that there was a seventh year asking about you!" commented Mary, eyeing Talynn with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you a little young for a seventh year?"

Talynn laughed and pondered this. She and her friends might have acted a few years older than her age, but why would a seventh year have been looking at her? She briefly wondered if it could have been Alex, but then dismissed the idea as fast as it had come. He was an American, he wouldn't be going to Hogwarts. "What can I say, I'm legendary already," she laughed. 

A soft rapping on the door broke their conversation. The four girls all looked at the door. "Yes?" called Talynn.

"Is there a Talynn Rose in there?" came the deep muffled male voice. Talynn looked at her friends, confused. They didn't know any boys old enough to have a voice that deep, or that American and it sounded much too young to be an adult.

"Yes, I'm here," Talynn replied. Her friends all looked around at one another and broke into whispers saying things like "who could it be?" and "maybe it's that seventh year".

"May we come in?" came the voice again. Talynn considered this a moment, looking at Gabrielle questioningly. Her friend nodded enthusiastically. 

"Alright, come on in," she answered. The door slid open revealing four older boys standing in the aisle. The eldest seemed strangely familiar to Talynn, with his dark brown hair and blue eyes, he was quite reminiscent of herself. She looked at the intruders questioningly. They were all staring at her intently and it was making her rather uncomfortable. She shifted slightly in her seat and sat up straighter as she had been taught to in the presence of guests.

"May we help you?" she inquired the disbelieving boys. Her friends stifled a quiet laugh. Talynn ignored them and kept her eyes fixed firmly on those of the leader boy. Long seconds passed with the two of them only looking at one another. His eyes haunted Talynn, but she didn't dare show it, for fear that she appear rude to this stranger.

The dark haired boy slowly extended a large rough hand. A soft smile came across his lips and warmed his eyes. "Hello. I'm Alex Rose," he simply said. To Mary, Gabrielle and Alyssa this meant nothing, but to Talynn it meant the world. She dropped the water she was holding and it spilled across the floor. Her blue eyes opened wide, and, forgetting her manners, Talynn's jaw hung loose.

She blinked several times and tried to speak, but could not make the words come out. Alex only smiled down at her. Talynn looked at the other 3 boys, searching their faces for something familiar, something that she would remember. Flashes of the day she left kept coursing through her head.

"No! Tally, don't go!" Nick called, holding his blanket and crying as his family stood in the airport terminal with his sister and grandmother. He looked up at his mother. "Mommy, Tally can't go! Who will I play with?" he looked back at his sister as the tears streamed down his cheeks.

_Jake merely stood quietly by his brothers and parents, watching his sister, trying to memorize her so he'd never forget. He played with his glasses and gently touched a small wooden box in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at it in his palm. He'd carved the tiny pine box himself. The rough, sloppy carving across the top said 'Talynn' and inside the lid, it merely said 'Remember'. He squeezed his fist shut tight and walked up to his sister. Not one for words, he opened her tiny palm and placed the box there. Talynn looked at him, confused, but then, somehow, understood and put the box in her pocket._

_Mike looked on as his shy little brother Jake gave Talynn something. "Wow, he's really going to miss her," he thought. "But I never knew they spent time together." Mike thought about all the times he'd ignored his little sister. She wasn't really someone he could relate to. He scratched his head, thinking hard. He knew he had to do something special to say goodbye to her. He walked over and picked her up, swinging her around a bit and hugging her. She giggled happily. _

_"Tally," he said, "You're the best kid sister ever!" She looked at him wide-eyed and thrilled._

_"Really?" she asked, excitedly. "Wow!" Mike laughed a little bit and set her down. Then he walked back beside his parents._

_His mother and father gave Talynn a heaping bag. "A present," said Amelia. "Open it when you get to Grandma's," she smiled sadly at her daughter. Tears burned at the back of her eyes and a permanent hole began to work it's way into her heart. She looked quickly away, down at Danny. The little baby was smiling happily and looking at Talynn. He reached out a tiny hand._

_"Eeeh!" he cried, "Taalll-eeee" he burbled. Amelia looked down at her baby, shocked. He had spoken. She knew it was the perfect moment. She ventured a short glance at her daughter, who was looking like she'd just gotten a pony. "How ironic" thought Amelia, "That on the saddest day of my life, my daughter should be so happy,"._

_Finally it came to Alex. Talynn looked up at him expectantly. He walked over to her, gave her a long hug and said "Remember." Talynn was entirely confused. She'd expected more from this brother, the one who was supposed to love her the most. She hadn't seen him slip the pendant and letter into her bags and she wouldn't find them until after a few days in England and her new life._

_As the final boarding call came, Elaine gently put a hand on Talynn's shoulder. "It's time to go, sweetheart," she said. She picked up Talynn's carry-on bag and took her hand. As they reached the gate, Talynn turned around and looked at her family one last time. Not knowing she would never see them again, Talynn had smiled happily and waved._

_"Bye!" she'd called happily and the turned away and walked onto the plane, leaving her broken-hearted family standing in the terminal. A renegade tear escaped Alex's eyes as he watched his precious sister skip joyfully down the terminal away from him. He mouthed the words remember. Then he turned on his heel, gruffly brushing away the tear, steeling his heart and preparing for the hard years to come._

Talynn gently touched the small rose pendant around her neck that Alex had given her on that day. "Alex?" she managed to say. He nodded. Every ounce of her being wanted her to simply jump up and dive into his arms. But her years at the English prep school held her back. She tilted her head sideways and smiled. "It's nice to see you again," she told him.


End file.
